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The OUTWORDS Archive

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The Outwords Archive (OUTWORDS) records and archives on-camera interviews with elders from the LGBTQ+ community throughout the United States. The archive headquarters are based in Los Angeles, with the entirety of their digital collection provided to the public for free through their official website. The nonprofit's stated mission is to "capture, preserve, and share the stories of LGBTQIA2S+ elders, to build community and catalyze social change."[1] [2]

The Outwords Archive
Formation2016; 8 years ago (2016)
TypeNPO
Legal status501(c)(3)
PurposeOral history of the U.S. LGBTQIA+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, ally, and two spirit) human rights movement
HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
Founder
Mason Funk
Websitetheoutwordsarchive.org

History

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Inspired by the Shoah Foundation's Visual History Archive of interviews with Holocaust witnesses and survivors, documentary TV and film producer Mason Funk established OUTWORDS in 2016. Half-day interviews are conducted on high-definition digital video by film crews, primarily in the homes of interview subjects.[3] Interviewees have included lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two spirit, and intersex individuals, as well as representatives of various sub-communities of the LGBTQ+ community including drag queens, leather daddies, lesbian separatists, and allies. Most interviewees are over 70 years old.[4]

In May 2018, OUTWORDS received a Creator Award in the Community Giver category from the co-working company WeWork.[5] In May 2019, HarperCollins published the first compilation of OUTWORDS interviews, entitled The Book of Pride, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.[6][7] At the same time, OUTWORDS released a searchable digital platform which makes video interviews and historical photos freely available to the public.[8]

In June 2023, OUTWORDS opened their first museum exhibit, "Coming Out West: LGBTQ+ Elders Share Their Stories", in collaboration with the Santa Monica History Museum.[9] In 2024, select OUTWORDS interviews were featured in the exhibit, "Hello Auntie, Hello Uncle: Conversations with our Elders", at the Wing Luke Museum and in the permanent digital exhibit, "Hidden Histories: Discovering Los Angeles' LGBTQ+ Collections", curated by the ONE Archives at UCLA.[10][11]

Interviews

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As of August 2024, OUTWORDS had recorded on-camera oral histories with over 350 LGBTQIA2S+ elders in 45 states. Interviewees have included:[12][13]

Publications

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  • The Book of Pride: LGBTQ Heroes Who Changed the World, (HarperCollins, May 2019), ISBN 978-0-0625-7170-0

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "OUTWORDS Archives". Wayback Machine: Faces of Freedom. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  2. ^ "OUTWORDS: The National Interview Archive of the LGBTQ Experience". International Documentary Association. 2015-10-26. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  3. ^ "Book captures stories of LGBT trailblazers". The Bay Area Reporter / B.A.R. Inc. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  4. ^ "This Filmmaker Is on a Quest to Capture the Stories of LGBTQ Pioneers All Over America | NewNowNext". www.newnownext.com. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  5. ^ "Uncovering LGBT stories that were hidden from history". Ideas. 2018-05-13. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  6. ^ "Meet the LGBTQ+ Elders Who Rioted, Organized and Lobbied to Change History". KQED. 2019-06-10. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  7. ^ "'The Book of Pride' Celebrates LGBTQ+ Trailblazers". www.out.com. 2019-05-23. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  8. ^ "At WeWork's SF Creator Awards, Big Ideas Deserve Big Celebrations". 7x7 Bay Area. 2018-05-14. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  9. ^ "LGBTQ+ Elders Share Essential American Stories in Coming Out West". LA Weekly. 2023-06-22. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  10. ^ "Hello Auntie, Hello Uncle: Conversations with our Elders". Wing Luke Museum. 2024-04-25. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  11. ^ "Hidden Histories: Discovering Los Angeles' LGBTQ+ Collections - The Outwords Archive". Hidden Histories. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
  12. ^ "Lavender Legacies Guide: United States: California | Society of American Archivists". www2.archivists.org. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  13. ^ "Two local residents participate in national LGBTQ+ elders project The Outwords Archive". Desert Sun.
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